The Challenge After Success Of CHOGM
By Jehan Perera -November 18, 2013 |
Jehan Perera
The Sri Lankan government can take satisfaction at the close of CHOGM. It ended without any major mishap, although there were several controversial incidents, such as the laying of flowers at the killing fields of Elephant Pass by the Canadian government’s representative, and the speech targeting Sri Lanka given at the People’s Forum by a British Minister. By and large, however, the organization of events went like clockwork. Those who attended the various CHOGM events would have been impressed by the attention showered on them by the organizers of the various events. There was the best of hotel accommodation and food for them, apart from brand new cars and buses to transport them around. There were always a plethora of personnel around to attend to their needs. It appears that no expense was spared, the hallmark of the gracious host.
There was also the human interest dimension of CHOGM for the larger Sri Lankan population. Most of them would have been proud and happy to see the children at CHOGM events, dressed up prettily for the occasion, and dancing gracefully and singing beautifully. The media images of CHOGM were positive ones with few exceptions. The sight of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla visiting orphanages, hospitals, women’s centres and the tea plantations, was heartwarming again on account of their visible kindness and graciousness. Prime Minister David Cameron playing cricket with Sri Lankan cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot jogging on Galle Face along with the President’s son was a show of engagement with the interests of the general population. The hosting of the wives of the dignitaries by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa brought out the family spirit that must underlie the spirit of the Commonwealth.
The hosting of the Commonwealth Summit in Sri Lanka was indeed a great triumph for the Sri Lankan government in the context of the strong opposition to it on the grounds of the government’s failure to live up to Commonwealth Values. The fact that the heads of government of very important countries visited Sri Lanka and spent several days no less, would count for a great deal. British Prime Minister David Cameron, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and South African President Jacob Zuma are all heavyweights on the world scene, who might never have visited Sri Lanka at all in the ordinary course of events. But they did on account of CHOGM. The challenge now is for the Sri Lankan government to build on these links and to utilize them in the best interests of the Sri Lankan people, and to resolve outstanding problems. This will require a fundamental change of approach to issues of governance.
